The poor in the US are richer than around 70% of all the people extant. The poor in the US are about as poor, perhaps a bit richer, than the poor in other rich countries. It is true that there is more inequality in the US: but this isn’t because the poor are poorer. It’s because the rich are richer.

As for emotions…

[Americans] are taking [Prozac] and other antidepressants (Celexa, Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, to name just a few) in astounding numbers.

According to a report released yesterday by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the rate of antidepressant use in this country among teens and adults (people ages 12 and older) increased by almost 400% between 1988–1994 and 2005–2008.

Antidepressant use among Americans is skyrocketing. Adults in the U.S. consumed four times more antidepressants in the late 2000s than they did in the early 1990s. As the third most frequently taken medication in the U.S., researchers estimate that 8 to 10 percent of the population is taking an antidepressant.

Physically

Speaking of exercise, obesity rates keep rising:

The illustration above has to add new bins every few years as the obesity rates increase. The illustration below shows that the rates continue to rise.

Since genes don’t change in a few years, the illustrations above tell me that the growth is resulting from reversible behavioral changes. Maybe people prefer diets and behavior that lead to diseases of excess to fitness, but I suspect most obese people would prefer not to be obese.

You can’t have it both ways

The material, economic perspective appears to miss something important. While it’s possible people before antidepressants were as depressed as people today, or many other explanations, soaring antidepressant use implies a lot of depressed people, whether poor or not.

My read: Mainstream America is out of touch with what creates meaning and emotional reward.

Economic growth masks cultural and social problems, or maybe exacerbates them. They distract us from seeing, understanding, and developing the skills to create a life that creates a fit body and mind that doesn’t need antidepressants.

Learn to make Meaningful Connections

with a simple, effective exercise from my book, Leadership Step by Step.